On election day I was cheerily envisioning a future beyond hate and war with Robyn and Janelle Monae. Yesterday and today I woke up and the future looked impossibly angry and male and white, surging up from the past, all grudge-guns firing.

It's Halloween, and even though we all know that the holiday is mainly about a.) dressing up in lingerie and some kind of animal ears and b.) candy, it's important not to lose sight of the fact that it's also an excuse to bust out some truly chilling tunes -- songs that aren't Halloween-themed so much as they are sincerely creepy. My picks are mostly classic-rock selections that I heard for the first time as a kid and have since had visceral, chilling reactions to. Share your own spooky playlists in the comments!